Method and mechanism for testing gas



July 10, 1923. 1,461,345

A. CLARKE METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR TESTING GAS Filed Marbh 4. 1920 Irwenlor;

fllexander Claz Ire, 64. /7. MA

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Patented July 10, 1923,,

our ST ALEXANDER CLARKE,

0F CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED HYDRO-CARBONS COMPANY. A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR TESTING GAS. 4

Application filed March 4, 1920. Serial No. 863,256.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Charleston, county of Kanawha, and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Method and Mechanism for Testing Gas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating casing-head or natural gas, to determine its gasoline content in gallons per thousand cubic feet.

The apparatus employed at the present time, in making a physical test for the gasoline content of casing-head or natural gas, consists generally of a small compression gasoline plant, assembled upon atruck or wagon. This plant includes a small gasoline engine, ordinarily four or five horsepower, which is connected or belted to a two stage compressor of suitable size. Both stages of the compressor are equipped with cooling coils and accumulator tanks, to condense and measure the amount of gasoline produced or recovered. The intake of the compressor is provided with a gas meter, which measures the amount of gas used in making the test, and the amount of gasoline produced or recovered is measured in the accumulator tanks from which the amount of gasoline recovered per thousand cubic feet, can be readily calculated.

An apparatus or plant of this character ordinarlly weighs about two tons, making it expensive and difiicult to move the same from one well location or gas field to the other. This apparatus also is open to the objection that it inaccurately measures the volume of gas treated.

In accordance with my invention I provide an improved apparatus, for the practice of my method of determining the gasoline content of the casing-head or natural gas, which comprises generally a receiver or tank of definite capacity, a measuring tube and pressure gage connected with the top of the receiver, a hydraulic pump connected with the bottom of the receiver, and the necessary conduits and valves, whereby, pursuant to m method of operation, the vessel can be fill ed with gas at atmospheric pressure, the gas compressed in the receiver by means of water forced therein under the pressure and conditions for liquefying the gasoline content, and the liquefied gasoline flowed tram the receiver into the measuring tube and the desired determination effected.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus adapted to hold a desired measure and produce any pressure desired on the gas to be tested, and to accurately measurethe volume of condensed gasoline recovered therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for producing suflicient pressure upon and the desired temperature of'the gas under treatment for liquefying the gasoline content of such gas, and hold the gas under pressure for a sufiicient length of time,

to allow all of the gasoline content to condense and segregate.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple, inexpensive and readily portable apparatus of the above mentioned character, for producing the desired pressure and conditions in the gas to betreated.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description and the accompanying drawing of a. form and application thereof.

The drawing represents a side elevation of apparatus adapted for the practice of my invention.

The mechanism illustrated comprises a closed receiver or tank 1 of any suitable cubical contents and adapted to withstand a pressure of from five hundred to a thouian'd pounds per square inch. This receiver as a and carrying a pressure gage 3. A branch pipe 4 connects the pipe 2 with a coupling 5 having in its upper end a plug 6, which can be removed to permit the insertion of a hydromcter into a measuring tube, to be described, and the gravity of the gasoline determined. A pipe 7, provided w1th a cut-0E valve 8, is designed to be connected with a source of natural gas.

The measuring column or tube 9, preferwe ably formed of glass, is connected at its top with the coupling 5 and has its lower end connected with a valve casing 10 which communicates through the nipple 11 with an upper portion of the receiver 1. The valve casmg 10 is provided with the transverse passages 12 and 13 communicating with the nipple 11 and the measuring tube 9. A cutoff valve 14 is adapted to close the horinontal passage 12,, inwardly of the vertical which can be manually operated 75 pipe 2 connected with its upper end, so

passage 13, and a drain valve leads into I the outer end of the amage 12.

. a water supply reciprocate the Means are provid for supplying a liquid,

generally water, under suitable pressure to the container 1, including a hydraulic pump having a cylinder 16, secured to the receiver b brackets 17. The lower end of the bore oi the cylinder 16 is in communication with pipe 18 which is connected with the bottom of the receiver by the coupling 22 and is provided with check valves 19 and 20, on op site sides of the connection with the cy inder and opening in the direction of the arrows, and with a cut-0d valve 21. An outlet 23 having therein a cutofi valve 24 provides for disc arging the receiver. Mountedto reciprocate within the cyl nder 16 is apiston pumg plunger 25 WhlCh operates through a stu ng box 26 and caruse a pivot element 27 the latter adapted to be inserted. through 'a selected a erture 28 in a manually operated lever 29. his lever has its forward end pivoted at 30 to. a strut 31 which is ivotally supported at its lower end by the, caring 32.

In the practice of the method, as carrled out in the apparatus herewith shown and described, the valves 15 and 24-areopened, and the pipe 7 is connected wlth a source of natural gas. The valve 8 is now opened and the natural gas under suitable pressure passes into the receiver 1 and through the same and the tube 9, until the air is driven from the apparatus and such apparatus is completely filled with the gas, at atmospheric pressure. All valves of the apparatus are now closed excepting the valve 1 1, which is open. The pipe 18 is now connected with a source of water, preferably at atmosheric temperature, and the valve 21 opened.

e operator now operates the handle 29, to plunger 25, and the water at a suitable pressure is accordingly forced into the receiver 1, beneath the gas therein. This pumping operation is continued until a sufiicient pressure is obtained on the gas in the receiver to liquefy or condense'the gasoline content thereof. As the water rises in the receiver 1, the valve 14 being open, the level of the water may be observed in the tube 9, and after the compression has been maintained for a sufficient length of time, with the gas at rest, to condense all of the gasoline content,- the valve 14 is closed. The water in the, tube 9 is now drained from the same, by opening the drain valve 15, which is closed when the water has been withdrawn. The pipe 7 has its valve 8 now partly opened and the pressure in the receiver 1 will force the gas out through the pipe 7, and the gasoline which floats upon the top of the water overflows through pipe 4 into the lass tube 9, the valve 8 being promptly c osed at the end of this operanaenme tion. This asoline may now be withdrawn from the tu 9-by opening valve 15, subsequently to which 1t may be tested for determinin its character.

As t e gas is-subjected to contact with the water, it is cooled thereby, as well as comressed.

lit has been found advantageous to construct the ap aratus of a capacity of one cubic foot. ne gallon equals 3780 cubic centimeters. 1/10" in the measuring tube 9 equals one cubic centimeter, the apparatus holding one cubic foot of gas at atmospheric ressure. A sample of one cubic foot of gas taken into the receiver 1 and compressed to 250 lbs. to the square inch, produced 20/ 10th inches of asohne in the measuring tube, thereby in icating that the one cubic foot of gas possesses a gasoline content of 20 cubic centimeters.

The apparatus may of course be constructed of any suitable size required.

It is understood that the form of apparatus herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same,

and that various changes in the shape, size,"

and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to, and that changes in the order of the steps of method may also be resorted to, without departing from the s irit of my invention, or the scope of the su joined claims.

'Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The herein-described method of treating gas for determining its tent, which consists in compressing and cooling, a predetermined quantity of the gas by the action of a cooling liquid under pressure adapted to cause the asoline content to be converted into a liquid state, and measuring the liquid gasoline.

2. The herein-described method of determining the gasoline content of casing-head or natural gas, which consists in sub]ecting the gas to greater specific gravity than liquid gasoline, liquefying the gasoline content thereby, and floating ofi an measuring the liquid gasoline from the compressing li uid.

3. The herein-described met d of determining the gasoline content of casing-head or natural gas, which consists in provlding a receiver with a definite amount of said gas, introducing a liquid under pressure into the recelver and separating from the gas therein the gasoline content in liquid form by the pressure, temperature and time required therefor, releasing the liquid gasoline and discharging it from said recelver by the pressure of said liquid, and collecting and measuring the dischar ed gasoline.

1. The herein-descri d method of determining the gasoline content of casing-head or natural gas, which consists inintroducing the gas into a receiver of own volgasoline con- 1 the pressure of a liquid having a ume, introducing under pressure into the receiver a liquid having a greater specific gravity than gasoline, disrharging the thus separated gasoline'from the upper end of the column of the compressing liquid into a container of known volume, and removing the gasoline from the container.

5. In apparatus for testing gas, a gas receiver, means for introducing gas into said receiver, a measuring device communicating with the upper end of said receiver, liquid supply means connected with the receiver, and means for forcing liquid through the supply means.

6. In apparatus for testing gas, a receiver, a conduit connected with the. upper end thereof, a measuring device connected with the upper part of the receiver and with the conduit, a valved outlet connected with the lower endof the receiver, a liquid supply conduit connected with the receiver, and forcing means, connected withthe supply condult.

tially vertical receiver, an overflow conduit connected with the upper end thereof, a

measuring device connected With the conduit, valve controlled means connecting the lower end of the measuring device with the receiver, a drain valve connected with the lower end f the measuring device, valve controlled outlet means connected with the lower end of the receiver, and means connected with the lower portion of the receiver for supplying a liquid thereto under pressure.

8. In apparatus for testing gas, a receiver, a pressure gauge connected with the top thereof, a measuring tube having means of communication with the upper end of the rece1ver, means for controlling the passage of fluid between the receiver and the measuring tube, and means for introducing a liquid under pressure into the receiver.

9. In apparatus for testing gas, a vertical receiver, means for feeding gas into the upper end of the receiver, means for forcing water into the lower end of the receiver, and a measuring tube having connections with the receiver.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this 24th day of February, 1920.

ALEXANDER CLARKE. 

